Printing machine and method for transferring ink by heat and pressure



July 22, 1958 H. GRUVER 2,844,094 PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD FDR TRANSFERRTNG` 1NR BY HEAT AND PRESSURE Filed Jan. 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1min ` s Inf/enfer John #.Gr'uver July 22, 1958 J, H. GRUVER 2,844,094

PRINTING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING K INK BY HEAT AND PRESSURE Filed Jan. 5. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ...3 Fg v 9 Invenor John Gruver gmf/Vw( @mnd United States PRINTlNG MACHINE AND METHOD FOR TRANS- FERRING INK BY HEAT AND PRESSURE Application January 5, 195,5, Serial No. 480,032

9 Claims. (Cl. .1M-134.5)

'I'his invention relates to printing machines.

In the printing arts, it is often desirable to print from a master sheet or strip which may be used for repeat operations. An example of such occurs in the printing of a mailing strip or the like containing a plurality of individual addresses representative of a mailing list which remains in a more or less permanent status. Since it is undesirable that for each mailingperiod new instrumentalities be prepared bearing the addresses to be printed, resort is had to a master mailing strip carrying in mirror or reverse form the addresses that are to be duplicated. These addresses carried on the master strip are then transferred to copy sheets as on a severable strip which may be separated into individual address lafbels or the like commonly used for mailing magazines or like periodicals, premium notices and the like.

A printing machine of the foregoing kind is described in my application, Serial No. 175,370, filed July 22, 1950, now U. S. Patent No. 2,740,354, and in this particular machine there is used a master strip bearing images transferable by lithographie or hectographic processes.

The printing machine of the present invention is a modiiication of that described in my aforesaid patent in which printing is effected by positioning a copy sheet to be printed at a printing station and then pressing against the copy sheet a portion of a master strip bearing an image to be transferred, since there are circumstances where it is not altogether satisfactory to resort to lithographie or hectographic processes of duplication, and hence the primary object of the present invention is to enable the image on the master to be transferred to the copy sheet by the .1

simultaneous action of heat and pressure.

Inasmuch as the machine of the present invention utilizes a heated platen, it is desirable to assure that the master strip is contacted yby the platen only at the time printing is to be effected, and a further object of the present invention is to normally dispose the master strip spaced from the platen so that at the commencement of a printing stroke the master strip is carried toward the copy strip in spaced relation to and in advance of the platen whereby the heated platen does not engage the master at least until the master strip has itself engaged the copy sheet to be printed.

Further objects of the present invention are to operatively arrange together in a printing machine a heated platen and a pivotal frame for holding a master strip in spaced relation below the platen, and to enable this frame to advance through the printing stroke with the platen until the master strip engages the copy sheet to be printed; and to enable the platen and the frame for the master strip to be adjusted one relative to the other so that accuracy of cooperation during the aforesaid printing stroke may be attained.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, -by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principles thereof and what I atent ice now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the inventions embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View, broken away in part, of a printing head constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial perspective view taken at the forward left-hand corner of the printing head shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the way in which the piaten is to be operated through a printing stroke;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the printing station showing the platen in elevated position above the impression plate;

Fig. 5 is a partial perspective view taken at the forward right-hand corner of the printing head shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 5A is a detail perspective view illustrating the way in which the frame for the master strip is pivotally mounted in the machine.

For purposes of disclosure, the present invention is illustrated in Figs. l to 5 as embodied in a printing machine of the kind disclosed in my aforesaid patent, there being a head H, Fig. l, at the front of the machine supporting means operatively arranged therein to transfer images from a master sheet or strip MS on to a copy receiving sheet CS, Fig. 2. In the present instance, these images are printed on the master strip with an ink transferable only by the simultaneous action of heat and pressure, this kind of ink being more specically'disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 480,070, iiled January 5, 1955. Thus, the ink described in my co-pending application 480,070 comprises in its preferred form gilsonite, a wax selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, paraifin, and beeswax and a non-drying liquid selected from the group consisting of castor oil, mineral oil, and oleic acid.

As described in my aforesaid patent, the strip of copy sheets to be printed is advanced step-wise through the machine to locate the copy sheets one by one in printing position over an impression plate 20, Fig. 4, which may be faced with a rubber impression pad 2l. The master strip as viewed in Fig. 2 is delineated on the under side with the images to be duplicated in mirror or reverse form, and the path of the master strip through the printing station is above and at right angles to that of the -copy sheets. The means for feeding out the master and the copy are registered so that as a new sheet to be printed is positioned on the impression pad, the image carried by the master next subsequent to the last one transferred is positioned over the said new copy sheet. Transfer from the master to the copy is then effected by bringing the two into enj gagement and establishing the conditions necessary to transfer the inked image on the master to the copy. The respective feed means for the master and the copy sheet are the kind disclosed in my aforesaid patent in that feeding occurs in a repetitions step by step manner correlated to the operation of the platen 30 to be described hereinafter such that the sheets are at rest at the printing station of the present machine at the time when the platen 30 is effective to press an imaged area or the master sheet against an area of the copy receiving sheet to be printed by and from said image.

Supporting and guiding the master strip at the printing station is a guide frame 25, Figs. 5 and 5A, including a pair of superimposed spaced apart fingers 26 and 27, the upper fingers 26 in each instance being attached as by screws 28, Fig. 5 to the lower fingers 27 so as to afford a pair of forks at either side of the printing station through which the master strip is threaded and supported above the copy sheets to be printed. ATo the lower fingers 27 is attached a flat spring-like plate' 25A, Fig".` 5A', formed in the medical portion thereof with an opening B of a size to expose only the portion at the underside of the master strip MS bearing an image.

In each cycle of the machine, a copy sheet is advanced to the printing station over the impression plate as aforesaid while the master strip is fed out to bring a new image to the printing station over the copy sheet to be printed. Above the master strip at the printing station is a platen 30, Fig. 4, including a base plate 31, and the relation is such that when the machine is at reist the frame 25 holds they master strip spaced below thelimpression face' 31F at the bottom of the platen Asis apparent from' Figs. l and 2, the platen 30 is generallyrectangular in form, and to enable the impression face SIF of the platen to be heated heating elements as 33 and 34 of a known kind are inserted in corresponding sockets 33S and 34S, Fig. 3, in the base of the platen so as to extend generally parallel to the impression face `SIF from one yside .of the platen to the other. In the present instance, temperatures of 250 to 300 F. at the impression face of the platen are afforded by the heating elements 33, and 34, and to control the temperature within this range a thermostat 35, Fig. 2 is mounted in a socket 35S, Fig. 3, afforded in an enlarged head 38, Fig. 4, at the back of the platen base 31 extending from one side thereoftow the other.

The platen is arranged at the printing station to be lowered and then raised through a printing stroke to force the master strip carried in frame 25 against the copy `sheet to vbe printed with a pressure of from 150 to 200 pys. i., this pressure together with simultaneous action of the relativelyjhigh temperature of the platen being effective to transfer a portion of the mirror image on the underside of the master strip at printing position in readable fashion on to the opposed face of the corresponding copy sheet. a t

The platen is guided for movement through a printing stroke by hollow bushings 51 and 52, Fig. l, anchored at their lowerends to a leveling plate 55Winclu`ded in the platen structure. Between` the base 31 of the platen and the leveling plate 55 is a pad 56 of asbestos serving to insulate the leveling plate.

. Telescoped within the guide bushings 51 and 52 are fixed guide pins as SZP, Fig. l, anchored at their upper ends to a at horizontal mounting plate 60 which in turn is held by spacer blocks 61 and 62 secured to the underside of the head H. The guide pins as 52P are free at their lower ends so that the guide bushings 51 and 52 are free to slide vertically thereon.

The platen base 31 is connected to the platen leveling plate 55 by a bolt 57, Fig. 4, passed through a rectangular block 58, anchored to the upper side of the leveling plate 55, and into a tapped socket in the base of the platen. A coil spring 57S is mounted on the shank of the bolt 57 between the head thereof and the block 58, such serving to hold the base of the platen to the leveling plate 55 and enabling adjustments to be made.

YTo yieldably hold the platen 30 in a retracted or elevated position away from the impression plate 2t), springs 6.5 and V66, Figs. 2 and 5, are anchored at their upper ends to pins as 65A projecting from either side edge of the mounting plate 60. The lower ends of the springs 65 and 66 are respectively anchored on pins as 65B attached to the opposite side edgesfo'f leveling plate 55 of the platen, so that these springs are effective to yieldably hold the platen 3G in a retracted upward position. v

To enable the limit of retracted position for the platen 3Q to` be adjusted, a vertical stop pin 70, Fig. l, is attached to the under side of the mounting plate 60 so as to be aligned with the head of an adjusting screw 71 threadedly retained in a bushing 72 anchored at the upper forward edge of the leveling plate 55. Accordingly, by turning the adjusting screw in one direction or the other, the point at which the springs 65 and 66 yieldably hold the platen in retracted position may be adjusted. Y

It is advantageous to be able to adjust the impression face 31F of the platen so that uniform impressions are obtained. To enable this to be done, leveling screws 75 are mounted in the leveling plate v5 5 having heads 75H engaging the top side of the platen base 31 and working in nuts 77 threaded on the Shanks thereof so as to be ush with the top side of the leveling plate. By turning selected ones of these screws the heads thereof are effective to tilt and adjust the base of the platen so as to dispose the impressionface 31F in the desired plane.

The platen is operated through a printing stroke by a punch toggle. Thus,v as shown in Fig. l trunnions 81 and 82 are provided at either end of the block 58 secured to the top of the leveling plate 55 of the platen. A pair of toggle arms 83 and 84 are respectively journalled at their lower ends to the trunnions 81 and 82 and at the opposite ends these toggle arms are journalled to a relatively ylong horizonal toggle pin 87. A pair of upper toggle arms 88 and 89 corresponding to the lower toggle arms are likewise each journalled at one end to the toggle pin 87, and at their opposite endsyare journalled on pins as 90, Fig.' 3, carried in the head of the machine H, a cut-out portion 9 1, Fig. 1, being provided in the upperl mounting plate 60, to adr'nit the toggle arms 88 and 89. a *A y Attached to the toggle pin 87 is a yoke 95 operated in turn by a drivelink 96uas shown in Fig. 3, and from the foregoing it will be seen that when the drive link 96 is effective on the yoke 95 to force the toggle pin 87 in a forward directionA as viewed in Fig. 3, the platen 30 will be forced downwardly through `a* portion of the printing stroke, being guided in this movement by the pins as 52? in the respective guide bushings 51 and 52.

The frame 25 which guides the master strip through the printing station` is adapted to advance with the platen through av printing stroke. This is made possible in the present instance by pivoting the frame 25 behind the platen and affording a connection between the platen 30 and the frame 25 `so that the latter will be forced down with the platen' during a printing stroke.

Thus, a lever in the form of a hollow mounting block 100, Fig. 5A, is afforded for the frame 25 and this levered block 100 is journalled on releasabletrunnions at the back of the platen 341.` As shown in Fig. 5A, the lower arms 27 of the master strip guide frame 25 are each attached to lrespective endportions of the block 100 so that the frame 25 is supported for tilting movement with the block 100. At either side of the supporting block for the 4frame 25 is a pin as 103, Figs. landV 5A having the ends thereof engaged in corresponding openings as 104 at :the vside of the block 100 so as to enable the block and the frame 25 carried thereby to pivot as a lever on the ends of the respective pins 104. v

At the back yof the levered block 100 is a pin 107 serving to support a torsion spring 108, Fig. 5A, adapted to react |between the underside of the block 100 at the back thereof :and the top side of a iXed plate 109 extended under the block 100. In this manner, the spring 16S holds the frame 25 with the master strip spaced above the copy sheet at the printing station.

To assure that the torsion spring 10S does not position the frame 25 so Vclose to the platen that thei master strip would be scorched, an adjustable stop pin in the form of a screw 110, Fig. 5 is aiforded at the end of a small arm lll which at the other end is attached to amounting plate 112 fixedv to the machine ,at the sindeof the printing head j To engage the 'stop screwl 110, an angled spring plate 11s is attached to thev rei/ered broek 100 t one 'side thereof just above a pair of arms 26 and Z7 atfording one fork of the frame 25. The angled plate 115 has one arm 115A disposed in a plane above another 115B, such that the spring 108 in holding the frame 25 up engages the upper arm 115A with the lower end of the stop screw 110 adjusted to position the fname 25 suiciently away from the platen 30 to prevent the m-aster from being scorched.

Carried at the outer end of a plate 117, Fig. 5, attached as by screws to a forward corner of the platen 30, is another pin in the form of an adjustable screw 118 adapted to engage the lower -arm 115B of the plate 11S when the platen 30 is lowered, and in this manner the frame 25 advances with the platen but in spaced relation below the impressi-on face 31F thereof to prevent scorching of the master strip. When the frame Z5 lowered in this manner disposes the master strip against the copy sheet to be printed on the impression plate, arm 115B engaged by screw 118 yields enabling the platen to advance further and press the master with heat and pressure yagainst the copy sheet transferring the image. When the drive link 96 reverses ldirection to permit the platen to return to retracted position, the frame 25 is retracted at the same time by its spring 108, following the platen until arm 115B of plate 115 engages the stop pin 110.

It is advantageous to be able to readily remove the frame 25 from the machine, and this end is achieved in the present inst-ance by having the holding pins 103 retractable. Thus, as shown in Figs. l and 5A, the pins 103 are passed through guide ears 120 afforded at the ends of plates as 121. The plates 121 in turn are fastened to a common plate 125 extended across the machine behind the platen at the printing station. Mounted on the Shanks of the pinsV 103 are fixed collars 126,v and acting between these collars of the ears 120 are expansion springs as 127 serving to releasably position the pins 103 in the openings 104 alforded therefor at the sides of the levered block 100. By retracting the pins 103 against the action of the springs 127, the ends thereof may be withdnawn from the levered block 100, enabling the latter and `the frame 25 attached thereto to be removed from the printing station.

Thus, while yI have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A printing machine comprising, an impression plate on which a copy sheet to be printed may be located, a pivotal frame for disposing a master strip bearing images transferable by the simultaneous action of heat and pressure normally in spaced relation from the copy sheet, a yieldable spring Varm carried by said frame, a platen adapted t-o be heated, means disposing said platen normally retracted in spaced relation from said master strip normally disposed as aforesaid, means for advancing the platen through a printing stroke eventually to force said master strip with pressure against the copy sheet on said impression plate, and means carried by said platen for engaging the spring arm on said frame to carry the master strip toward the copy sheet in advance of and spaced from the platen upon advancement of the platen, said spring arm yielding when the master engages the copy to enable the platen to further advance to press the master against the copy.

2. A printing machine comprising, an impression plate on which a copy sheet to be printed may be located, a frame for holding a master strip bearing images transferable by the simultaneous action of heat and pressure normally in spaced relation from the copy sheet, means supporting said frame for pivotal movement to carry the master strip in to printing engagement with the copy sheet, a yieldable spring arm on the frame, a platen adapted to be heated, means disposing said platen normally retracted in spaced relation from vthe master strip on said frame, means to adjust the spacing between the platen andthe frame, means for advancing the platen through a printing stroke to force said master strip with pressure against the copy sheet on said impression plate, and means on said platen adapted to engage the spring arm of said frame to advance the master strip toward the copy sheet with but spaced in advance of the platen, said spring arm yielding when the master engages the copy to enable `the platen to further advance to press the master against the copy.

3. A printing machine comprising, an impression plate on which a copy sheet may be positioned to receive images transferable thereto from a master by heat and pressure a platen including heating means, means disposing the platen in retracted position normally spaced from said impression plate, a frame for holding the master, means tiltably supporting said frame and urging said frame to a retracted limit position whereatthe master is spaced from the impression plate and from the platen so as not to be scorched by the platen, means to advance the platen through a printing stroke eventually to force the master in said frame against the copy sheet to be printed, a yieldable spring arm carried by the frame, and means carried by the platen adapted to engage the spring arm on said frame and advance the frame through said printing stroke with and spaced ahead of the platen so that the master will not be scorched thereby, said arm yielding when the master engages the copy to enable the platen to advance further to press the master against the copy.

4. A printing machine comprising, an impression plate on which a copy sheet may be positioned to receive images transferable thereto by heat and pressure from a master, a platen including heating means and adapted to press the master against the copy sheet, means biasing the platen normally in position retracted from said impression plate, a frame for normally holding the master in spaced relation from the copy sheet, means to adjustably locate the frame normally at a predetermined position spaced from the platen so as not to be scorched by the platen, a yieldable spring arm carried by said frame, means detachably supporting said frame in the machine for removal and for tilting movement from normal position to dispose the master against the copy sheet and means to advance the platen through a printing stroke, and means carried adjustably by the platen to engage said spring arm at a predetermined advancing position of the platen to tilt said frame as aforesaid when the platen is advanced through a printing stroke and to advance said frame with the master spaced from the advancing platen until said means carried by the platen is effective to dispose the master against the copy sheet to` be printed, whereupon the spring arm yields to enable the platen to press the master against the copy.

5. A method of printing copies from a master sheet bearing on one side thereof a series of images delineated thereon in mirror reading form and consisting of heat softenable ink material, said method comprising, feeding a copy receiving sheet in a step by step manner between an impression member and a cooperating platen member that are normally spaced at a printing station one from the other at the time of such periodic feeding movements of the copy sheet, feeding said master sheet in a step by step manner between said impression member and said platen member at the printing station coincidentally with the feeding movement of said copy sheet and in juxtaposed spaced relation therewith so that the imaged side of the master sheet faces but is normally spaced from the side of the copy sheet to be printed, the feeding of said respective sheets being such that successive images on the master sheet, at times when a master sheet and the copy sheet are stationary between said members, are successively registered with unprinted areas of the copy sheet that are to be printed by and from the corresponding images on the master sheet, imparting heat to one of 7 said impression and platen members so that said one member is capable of softening the images on the master and disposing said one member at said printing station so as to be normally spaced'frornthe side of the master sheet which is opposite the side of theA master sheet bearing saidY images, disposing the other of said. members at said printingstati'on directly opposite theback side of the copy sheet which is not to be printed, interrupting the feedingrof both of said sheets at thev time a print is to be made on the copy sheet from the master sheet and concurrently with and during the time of said interruption bringing about pressure engagement between the particular image onthe master' sheet which is stationarily disposed at the printing station and the corresponding area on the copy sheet to'be printed thereby and which is stationarily disposed at the printing station by producing relative movementof said members toward one another so that said particular image on the master sheet contacts with pressure said corresponding area of the copy sheet to be printed, and simultaneously with such pressure contact heating, by said one member, the area on the back side of the master sheet which is directly opposite said particular image to thereby soften said particular image and cause heat and pressure off-set thereof in a direct reading manner on to the corresponding unprinted area of the copy sheet, retracting said members one relative to the other to free said sheets of heat and pressure contact subsequent to, said off-setting of the particular image on the master sheet on to the copy sheet, subsequent to the commencement of relative retracting movemen of said members feeding both the'master sheet and the copy sheet forwardly through said printing station to dispose at the printing station the next image on the master sheet and the next area on the copy sheet to be printed thereby, and repeating the foregoing sequence of operations for as many images on the master sheet as are desired to be printed on the copy sheet.

6. A method according to claim wherein the one i member that is heated is prevented from contacting the back side of the master sheet during relative movement between said members until substantially the' instant when the image on the master sheet contacts the area of the copy sheet to be printed.l o

7. A method of imprinting from a master sheet bearin'g on one side an image delineated thereon in mirror reading form and consisting of heatsoftenable ink material, said method comprising, feeding a copy receiving sheet to locate the saine between an impression member and a cooperating platen member that are normally spaced at aprinting station one from the other at the time of such feeding movement of the copy receiving sheet, feeding said master sheet between said impression member and said platen member at the printing station and in juxtaposed spaced relation with respect to the copy receiving sheet located at the printing station as aforesaid so that the imaged side of the master sheet faces but is normally spaced from the side of the copy receiving sheet to be printed at the printing station, the feeding of said respective sheets being such that the image on the master sheet, at the time when the master sheet and the copy receiving sheet are stationary between said members, is registered with an unprinted area of the copy sheet to be printed by and from the image on the master sheet, virnparting heat to one of said impression and platen members so that said one member is capable of softening the image on the master and disposing said one member at said printing station so as to be normally spaced from the side of the master sheet which is opposite the side of the master sheet bearing said image, disposing the otherAof said members at said printing station directly opposite the back side of the copy sheet which is not to be printed, interrupting the feeding of both of said sheets at the time a print is to be made on the copy receiving sheet from the master sheet and concurrently with and during the time f said interruptien bringing about pres'- sure engagement between the image on the master sheet' which is stationarily disposedatft'he printing station and the corresponding area on the copy sheet to be printedV thereby and which is 4stationarily disposed atthe printing station by producing relative movement of said members toward one another so that said image on the master sh'eet contacts with pressure the corresponding area of the copy sheet to be printed, and simultaneously with such pressure Contact heating, by said one member, the area on the back side of the master sheet which is directly opposite said image thereon to thereby soften said image on the master sheet and canse heat and pressure olf-set thereof in a direct reading manner on to the corresponding unprinted area of the copy receiving sheet, retrac'ting said members one relative to the other to free said sheets of heat and pressure contact subsequent to said oisetting of the image on the master sheet on to the copy receiving sheet, subsequent to the commencement of relative retracting movement of said members feeding bothV the master sheet and the copy receiving sheet forwardly through said printing station and substantially simultaneously disposing at the printing station another master sheet image and copy receiving sheet unprinted area, and repeating the foregoing sequence of operations for as many master sheet images as are desired to be printed on copy receiving sheet unprinted areas.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the one member that is heated is prevented from contacting the back side of the master sheet during relative movement between said members until substantially the instant when the image on the master sheet contacts the area of the copy sheet to be printed.

9. A printing machine comprising, an impression member and a platen member normally spaced therefrom at a printing station, means for repeatedly feeding copy receiving sheet material in a step by step manner between said members at the printing station to expose successive copy receiving areas on one side of the copy receiving sheet material to receive successive imprints, means for repeatedly feeding master sheet material in a step by step manner between said members at the printing station and in juxtaposed relation with respect to said copy receiving sheet material to bring into registry successive master sheet areas with successive copy receiving sheet areas, said successive master sheet areas being delineated with images of heat-softenable ink material, guide means for so relatively disposing said sheets at the printing station that the delineated master sheet areas will be opposite the copy receiving sheet area to be printed, means for heating said one member and said one member being in position to be disposed opposite the unimaged side of the master sheet material, the other of said members being in position to be disposed opposite the back side of the copy receiving sheet material which is the side of the copy receiving sheet not to be printed, guide means for normally spacing the master sheet material from the copy receiving sheet material at the printing station and from said one member that is to be heated, means for producing relative movement of said members inwardly toward and retractably away from one another and for causing said one member during the course of relative inward movement to engage the unimaged side of the master sheet material to thereby produce at said printing station pressure contact between a particular master image and a corresponding area of the copy receiving sheet material to be printed to thereby off-set by heat and pressure said master image onto the copy receiving sheet, and means for correlating operation of the -respective feed means for said respective sheets to the relative movements of said impression and platen members so that said sheets are stationary at the time of said pressure contact.

(References on following page) References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hanington et al. June 3, 1913 Johnson July 7, 1931 5 Gabrielsen Mar. 31, 1936 Gould Dec. 29, 1936 10 Mills Feb. '6, 1940 Mills May 12, 1942 Furman July 7, 1942 Polley Feb. 27, 1945 Image Aug. 7, 1951 Braun Aug. 7, 1951 Ford Mar. 18, 1952 

